Dental impression tray



AWM 7 Wm., H. L, WELKER DENTAL IMPRESSION TRAY Filed April lO, 1955Patented Apr. 7, 1936 t UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE Application April10,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful 1mprovements in dentalimpression trays, such as are commonly employed for taking plasterimpressions in the making of artificial teeth.

In this art, it is the usual practice to use separate impression traysforl taking plaster impressions for the upper and lower sets ofartificial teeth. It is the object of the present invention to provide astandard lower impression tray with a detachable palate member which canbe applied instantly to such tray to adapt it for use in taking upperimpressions.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the detaileddescription thereof proceeds.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective View of a preferred form of the presentinvention;

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the detachable member which forms anessential part of the combination illustrated in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a plan View of the device shown in Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a. fragmentary section to an enlarged scale taken on theline 4-4 of Figure 3.

As shown in the drawing, the invention comprises an impression tray I ofstandard construction, and commonly used for taking a plaster im,-pression in the making of lower sets of artificial teeth. This tray lcomprises a perforated trough shaped body 2 having inner and outeriianges 3 and 4 merging at their rear ends into the body 2. A stiieningrim 5 of channel cross section is se cured detachably and by frictionfit to the top and end edges of theflanges 3 and li.

The stiifening rim 5 forms a smooth inverted U-shaped channel memberwhich seats over and covers the rough edges of the perforated flanges.The impression tray, as illustrated in the drawing, is of thewater-cooled type in which a tube 6 extends around the bottom of thetrough bounded by the side flanges of the tray, and is soldered theretoin the usual manner. The outer ends 'I and 8 of the tube 6, are providedwith nipples 9 and I0, respectively, adapted t receive the ends offlexible tubing for conducting cooling liquid through the tubing withinthe tray. A handle I I secured to the bottom wall of the trayfacilitates the operation of holding the tray in position during thetaking of an impression of the upper and lower parts of the mouth of apatient.

Asso far described, there is nothing novel about the impression tray,and the water-cooling tubing does not have any material effect on theessential part of the invention, designated herein 1935, Serial N0.15,675

generally by the reference numeral I2. The part I2 is shaped in outlineto conform to the curvature of the top and end edges of the inner flange3 of the tray; and comprises a body I3 which may be made of any suitablematerial, but pref- 5 erably of stainless steel orI other metal notsubject to corrosion during the ordinary use of the instrument.

The body I3 terminates at its opposite ends in horns I4 and I5 which arecurved to conform to the curvature, in two dimensions, of the ends ofthe inner flange 3. The outer edge of the body I3 and the horns I4 andI5 are provided with a groove I 6 which fits with friction tight fitover that part of the rim 3 which extends around the top edge of theinner flange 3 and the ends thereof where they curve downwardly to mergewith the bottom of the tray. This body I3 is shaped roughly to thecurvature of the palate of the average size mouth, in which devices ofthis kind are intended to be used.

It will be obvious from inspection of the drawing that the palate memberI3 can be attached to, or detached from, the tray member 2, almostinstantly. 'Ihere is nothing complicated or likely 2f to get out oforder about the invention; it is eX- tremely simple and can bemanufactured in quantity very easily and at low cost. Its use avoids thenecessity of a dentist having to purchase separate trays for takingupper and lower impressions. Obviously, the palate member I3 can be castor stamped out in quantities which would enable it to be sold profitablyat a very small fraction of the cost of the standard type impressiontray.

While I have shown the invention as connected up to well-known form ofimpression tray, it is to be understood that the invention is not to beconsidered as limited to use with this particular form, since it isobvious that changes in the construction of the impression tray wouldinvolve a corresponding change in the structure olf the correspondinglyshaped palate member. The invention is therefore to be considered aslimited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What I claim is: 45

1. A dental impression tray comprising a dental tray adapted to beemployed in taking plastic impressions of the lower jaw, said traycomprising a substantially U-shaped base conforming in general contourto that of the gums in the average human mouth and having angesupstanding from its inner and outer edges, the inner flange of the trayhaving its edge shaped to define a lingual cavity, and a plate shaped tocorrespond to said lingual cavity and detachably connected 55 from itsinner and outer edges, the inner flange of the tray having its edgeshaped to dene a lingual cavity, and a plate shaped to correspond tosaid cavity and having its front edge grooved to seat with friction t onthe edge dening said lingual cavity to adapt said tray for use in takingimpressions of the palatal arch and upper jaw.

HARRY LOGUE WELKER.

